Page 16 of Bind Me

“Oh, fuck,” I murmur.

My insides freeze.

The guard howls and shouts, his voice erupting like a volcano. Blood spurts wildly all over the floor and him from his flailing hand.

Chowder spits out the digits, hissing venomously at the man, his fur bristled up in aggression. His transformed, oversized mouth is a terrifying sight.

My head spins for a split second, shocked and unsure what to do next.

Then, I rush to grab Chowder as the guard tries to kick him away. Swooping him up, Chowder snaps his teeth at the guard, furious and frightened. I’m holding him close.

“Chowder, no, don’t attack him.” I’m gasping for air.

“Bad, bad man hurts you.”

The man is wailing, “What the hell is that thing? You dare harm one of the goddess’s guards? You will pay for this severely.”

Panic surges through me. I rush and shove Chowder into the bedroom, closing him inside, despite his growls echoing. I’m back in the living room within seconds, facing the guard who’s clutching his bleeding hand, his howls filling the space.

“Shit, we need to bandage that properly, and the fingers can be reattached,” I mutter, more to myself than to him.

I grab his arm and drag him into the bathroom. He’s too shocked to resist, trailing behind me in a daze. I rummage through the cabinet, which is mostly empty, but manage to find a roll of bandage and some tape.

“Hurry,” I urge, directing him to place his hand in the sink. Blood is spurting out so fast that I’m genuinely worried he might pass out.

“I will personally cut off your fingers. An eye for an eye, and for that feral thing that attacked me...” he cries out with pain in his voice.

Nope, it’s fine if he passes out.

“It’s not my fault you got attacked. You were being aggressive, and you entered my home uninvited,” I explain with a wobbly voice, my hands shaking as I wrap his hand. It’s a mess—blood all over the sink and mirror. I’m trying not to gag. I somehow manage to use the entire roll, securing the bandage so the bleeding stops. While he leans against the wall hurling insults, I’m already climbing into the tub filled with water, sitting on the edge. My whole body trembles. I want him out of my place, so I’ll give him what he wants.

Why do things always end badly for me?

Calling forth my mermaid form feels urgent, desperate. The transformation sweeps over me with a rush, every inch of my skin responding to the need.

“Look, I’m giving you my payment,” I say softly, hating every moment of it. “Then we can just forget this incident.”

“For this, I’ll take your whole fucking tail, bitch,” he retorts.

With trembling hands, I reach down to the base of my aquamarine tail, which glints in the light, where the scales are smaller, less noticeable if missing.

“Don’t think about it,” he growls menacingly. “I want the two big ones, the golden ones right in front...”

“You ass,” I spit back, the words hissing through my clenched teeth. This whole situation is spiraling out of control, and I’m left bargaining with my own body parts to appease this brute. I touch the shimmering golden scales and slip my finger under one, then I grip it tightly and tug hard. I wince at the sharp pain, like being cut with a blade. I make quick work of the second scale next to it, and already I see the hole they leave behind in my tail, sticking out like sore thumbs.

I almost laugh at my own sarcasm when the guard, snarling, stumbles out of the bathroom. Just as quickly, I call back my human form with a single thought, my body tingling with the fast transformation. With the bottom half of my robe also soaked, I rush after him.

He’s stumbling, his shoulder banging against the walls in the hallway. I pass him and dart into the kitchen, grabbing two small containers with lids from the kitchen.

In one, I gently place my two scales, my heart already mourning their loss. Then, I’m in the living room and gingerly picking up his severed fingers from the floor. I drop them into the other container. Gross.

Locking eyes with him, I grumble, “Well, it was terrible to have you visit. Now I think you should leave.” I shove the containers into his pockets as his face pales, then I open the front door. “Want me to take you to the local medic?”

He growls a no and pushes outside. “You’ll hear from us again, and when I return, you’ll be sorry for the fury that Asbesta will bring down on you.”

My half smile feels forced, my insides quaking. “Okay, have a nice day,” I say sarcastically, shutting the door behind him and freaking out. Of course, he’s going to heal, and magic medicine is amazing these days. That’s not what I’m worried about.

I pace back and forth.

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